Stumbling Bird

[stephaniemiko]

My Annabelle is 14 weeks, she's an Easter Egger. She's sort of clumsy . . . she sort of trips on her feet, and she sits back on her knees when she eats. She's the biggest of our birds, but the sweetest. She loves to be held . . . when we go to pick her up, she just sort of flops down. Is this normal? She seems to have a hard time standing back up when she nestles down into a depression in the hay. None of our others act like this. She seems healthy, just for the tripping and the setting back on her knees when she eats. Is she okay??

 

[Wyandottes7]

A vitamin B deficiency could be causing problems with her legs. Try giving her some vitamins (polyvisol infant vitamins without iron work well) for a week or so.

It is also possible that nothing is wrong with her. My Columbian Wyandotte was very clumsy when she was a chick.

 

[stephaniemiko]

Thanks for the info! I just bought the vitamins . . . do I just give her a little dropper, or do I mix it in their water so everyone gets some?

 

[Wyandottes7]

You can do both! Put some in the water, and also give her some in a dropper to make sure she gets some.

 

[stephaniemiko]

Oh, thank you SO much!! I am hoping she's fine, and this is just the way she is. She's not in any distress, no sign of any pain, and she's eating, so I'm not overly worried, it's just a nagging thought that she's different than the others. I have a deaf dog, so a disabled chicken would be par for the course. Thanks so much for your time!!

 

[Wyandottes7]

You're welcome! Keep us updated on if the vitamins have any effect.

 

[stephaniemiko]

It was incredibly easy to give her the liquid from a dropper! We gave her half a dose. She took it down like a trooper . . . she totally didn't care. I love this little bird!!